Civil War

Price

Thalia's POV

"Fuck this." It was the first two words I said after barely scrambling out of that crazy coliseum and back to hiding like a rat in the gutter. I wasn't feeling grief exactly, or I didn't think I was. It was something else.

Something almost alive that was swirling around in my chest. It was dead quiet and not a person spoke which only made me even more irritated. How could they not say anything? We'd all seen it. We all knew what it meant.

"Fuck!" Picking up the closest thing I could find I tossed it as hard as I could at the wall.

"We don't even know if it was hers Thals," Jason said, shifting from foot to foot. "It could be Frank's."

"Yeah and that makes it so much better?" I asked. "I wouldn't expect you to know but that's her's Jason."

"How can you tell?" He asked.

"It's a lighter purple. Frank's is longer because he's taller and her initials are embroidered in the bottom left corner." My voice threatened to break as I finished my sentence.

"And you could tell from all the way up there?" Jason asked, doubt in his voice which just made me want to hit something.

"Yes I can tell!" I ran a hand through my hair trying to catch my breath. I was aware that every set of eyes was trained on our interaction.

"We just need to regroup and sort this out. We did good. They didn't expect anything. We've mad ourselves a threat now," Jason insisted.

"Don't you get it? There's no point anymore." Hylla stood next to me. "The only reason I was here was because of my sister."

"We can't just quit. People at camp half blood are depending on us to win the fight here." Jason glanced around the room looking for support but the others stood waiting to see how it all played out.

"What will they come back to? Who is gonna take Frank and Reyna's place? You?" Hylla asked.

"Maybe temporarily. Hazel-"

"Hazel doesn't even know about any of this," I insisted. She was making trips back and forth to keep CHB informed. I couldn't help but envy her current absence.

"I can step in," Nico offered. "Jason is right. We've come too far to throw in the towel."

"Maybe for the rest of you. But I can't do this right now. I can't." I felt like crying but sucked in a sharp breath trying to keep my tears at bay.

"You can try. Please, Thals." Jason looked at me with quiet desperation in his eyes. I knew if I left I was leaving them all to die but I couldn't handle it.

"I can't Jason. You don't understand." Jason tossed his hands in the air.

"Then explain. Tell me," Jason pleaded. Hylla's eyes narrowed in a glare at my brother.

"Screw this shit. I'm not putting up with your bullshit Jason. Maybe you're not exactly grieving here but some of us are you inconsiderate asshole." Hylla turned to leave but Zoë held up a hand to stop her.

"Calm down everyone. Let's talk about this." Zoë looked pointedly at the three of us. "Look, I get it okay? This went to crap pretty fast but we can't abandon everything."

"Why the hell not?" Hylla demanded.

"Is it what Frank would want? What about Reyna?" Nico asked.

"You don't know what Reyna would want you scrawny toothpick! I raised her!" Hylla glared at Nico, her eyes glassy with tears. "Besides I have people at home who are a lot more considerate than some of you."